Men’s Soccer Schedule Breakdown and Bold Predictions

by Zach

The Lobo Men’s Soccer team kicks off their regular season at Indiana on Friday, so before they get started with what should be a fun season, we’ll take a quick look at their season schedule and give our bold predictions for what we think/hope/dream will happen this year.

Schedule Breakdown:

  • @Indiana
  • @Notre Dame
  • CS Northridge
  • Cal Poly
  • CSU Bakersfield
  • Grand Canyon
  • @UC Irvine
  • *@Kentucky
  • *FIU
  • LMU
  • *@Charlotte
  • *@FAU
  • @Denver
  • *Marshall
  • *@UAB
  • *South Carolina
  • *Old Dominion
  • Conference USA Tournament @ Marshall

* (Conference Match)

The Lobos will have nine home matches and eight road matches this season, with four conference matches at home and four on the road. The Lobos will once again play one of the most difficult schedules in the country, with the stiffest tests all on the road. Part of that is the fact that this year, the Lobos will have to play all three of the other top four teams in the conference on the road. On top of that, they will face 3 nationally-ranked teams on the road in their non-conference schedule. If the Lobos want to win the Conference USA regular season championship they will probably need to win all their home matches, get a win at FAU, and grab a win from the Kentucky/Charlotte/UAB trifecta. A 5-2-1 or better record in Conference should win the regular season crown, and that seems like the easiest way to get there. If the Lobos are able to go 11-4-2 with this schedule, they should be in a great position for a national seed in the NCAA Tournament, which will give them a good chance to make a run towards the College Cup.

Bold Predictions:

  • Lobos will end up with at least 12 wins on the season.
  • Lobos will have fewer than three losses in Conference USA play.
  • Chris Wehan will score more than 10 goals this season.
  • Wehan and Niko Hansen will combine for at least 20 goals.
  • Jason Beaulieu will have at least eight shutouts.
  • Lobos will have four or more players with at least five goals.
  • Lobos will spend most of the year ranked in the Top 15.
  • Lobos will win either the conference regular season or CUSA Tournament championship.
  • Lobos will have at least one player named to an All-American Team.
  • Lobos will have a National Player of the Week.
  • Matt Constant will be Conference Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American.
  • Lobos will be shutout fewer than three times this season.
  • Josh Goss will have more than eight assists this season.
  • Lobos will be a national seed in the NCAA Tournament and will make the Sweet 16.
  • Lobos will average over 3,500 fans a game.